Rafe and Hope stand in their office at the Salem PD. Hope looks at Rafe with a concerned look on her face, as Rafe stands stunned at what Hope's just asked her.

RAFE: I...I don't even know how to answer that...I mean...I know these cops like they're family to me, Hope. No, I don't think they're racist.
HOPE: But what if...what if it's deeper than that. What if we've...(sigh) what if we're so used to seeing certain faces committing crimes that we've started to believe that they're inherently criminal people? 

Hope walks away from Rafe, increasingly uncomfortable looking him in the eyes. She paces the room, deep in thought, as Rafe's eyes follow her around the room.

HOPE: I know it's...I know it's not that they're bad people. I mean, we're trying to keep the community safe. I mean...everyone loves Abe...they loved Lexie when she was on the force, you're respected...but...
RAFE: Hope, come on. Don't let this one case hit you so hard, I mean...so the profile was wrong. There's a million ways that could have happened. The eye witness could have seen the wrong person, it could have been dark out...Hell, the perp could have an accomplice, this may not even be over yet--
HOPE: ...But what if it is, Rafe?! What if the Salem PD is the problem here? What if Jerome was right?

Rafe sighs as he looks at Hope, shaking his head in disbelief of what she's asking him.

---

Sheryl sits at the table at Club TBD, where the lights are dimmed as the evening clientele mills about, having their cocktails and eating their dinner. She keeps one eye on the door as she looks over her menu. Her impatience building as she sees each person step in, and not seeing Lucas.

Finally, Lucas steps in the door, nervously looking around for his date. Sheryl immediately spots him, and waves in his direction. After a moment, Lucas feigns a smile and heads over to greet her.
Sheryl gets up from her seat, a big smile on her face as she reaches out to her date.

SHERYL: Lucas, honey! I'm glad you finally escaped your mother's clutches.
LUCAS: Sheryl--
SHERYL: ...Oh come off it, Lucas, it was a JOKE! 
LUCAS: Yeah...sorry. I'm just...you know, tense.

Sheryl leans over to touch Lucas' shoulder, causing Lucas to flinch again at her touch. Sheryl looks on, hurt again by Lucas' resistance to her.

SHERYL: Okay...I'm sorry. I guess I'm just...not used to you being quite so...prickly.

Sheryl sits down, a sense of defeat in her eyes. Lucas follows, adjusting himself a bit as he gets comfortable in his seat. Sheryl looks at Lucas, a bit annoyed at him. Lucas picks up on it, and leans in to speak softly to Sheryl.

LUCAS: Look, I'm sorry. I haven't had a very good couple days. With work, and...the TV station selloff...I've been really overloaded.
SHERYL: I understand that.
Sheryl reaches out across the table to Lucas, almost touching his hand, but hesitating at the last moment.
She pulls her hand back into her lap. She looks down, appearing a bit sombre.

SHERYL: I just...I wish I could...maybe find a way to help...I dunno, make it easier on you. Maybe take some of the load off.

Lucas sighs, remembering his mom's advice before he left for dinner to be more convincing in his 'relationship' with Sheryl. Lucas looks up at Sheryl, who looks back at him with a lustful look in her eye. Lucas looks back curiously, as Sheryl gently slips her left pump from her foot, and glides it up his leg.
Lucas' eyes widen, as Sheryl's not-so-subtle come-on becomes obvious to him.

LUCAS: Well! I uh...ahem...Gee I...I feel better already. Uh...

Lucas quickly turns to get T's attention as he passes by.

LUCAS: Hey! T! Can you uh...can you get me a cup of coffee...and a uh...

Lucas turns to face an expectant Sheryl, who looks Lucas' way unwaveringly, as she makes her order.

SHERYL: Double vodka on the rocks.

T looks on at the situation before him, slightly amused, and intrigued as he responds, fighting back laughter.

T: Alright...coming up, guys!

T rushes off, leaving an uncomfortable Lucas at the mercy of Sheryl. He squirms uncomfortably, but decides to play along, against his better judgment.

LUCAS: I uh...I knew you wanted to help me unwind but...I had no idea you meant like this.

Sheryl looks on, raising her eyebrow seductively, as she responds to Lucas.

SHERYL: Maybe we should skip dinner. I think I'm feeling hungry for something a little different.

Lucas tries to hold back an uncomfortable look, as he tries to formulate a response to Sheryl.

---

Jerome steps off the elevator at the Salem Inn, walking over to Jordan's door. He knocks.

Inside, Jordan jumps up from her chair, startled by the sudden unexpected visitor. Through the door, she hears Jerome's voice.

JEROME: Kay? Baby, it's me.

Jordan races over to the door, hoping none of her neighbours heard Jerome call her by her real name. She quickly opens the door and motions him inside, an irritated look on her face.

JORDAN: I told you not to call me that! Get in here! NOW!

Jerome slides casually inside, with Jordan stuffing him inside as she tries, through her frustration, to close the door while resisting her urge to slam it.
She glares as she speaks menacingly to him.

JORDAN: How did you find me here?

Jerome smirks as he looks at his ex-, appearing to take pleasure in her dismay.

JEROME: I texted Sheryl. She said you could use the pep talk.
JORDAN: Oh right, I forgot. Sheryl's my mom now and I need her to tell me what I need to do. 

Jordan opens the door back up, motioning to Jerome to leave, as Jerome walks toward the door.

JORDAN: Look, I'm sorry you wasted your time, but I don't need you, and I don't need your 'pep talks'.

Jerome puts his hand against the back of the door, shutting it, while blocking in Jordan. They stand mere inches apart, as Jerome looks lustfully in Jordan's eyes. Jordan, still clearly attracted to Jerome, looks at him intensely.

JEROME: Maybe you don't know what you need as much as you think you do.

Jordan looks back at him, her defenses wearing thin against Jerome, though still trying to put up the front.

---

Adrienne stands, still uncomfortably cold in the Kiriakis garden with Justin, as Adrienne tries to explain her calling Alex "Justin's son".

ADRIENNE: I didn't mean it like that, Justin.
JUSTIN: No, but what else COULD it mean, Adrienne? You've always resented Anjelica's presence in our lives, even being just on the peripheral.
ADRIENNE: Well, I don't know, Justin. Maybe her trying to blow me up might have something to do with it? I mean, I know, I'm just talking crazy here, but--

Justin sighs, knowing this argument's going to go around in circles. He tries to stop it from moving further down this road.

JUSTIN: Adreinne. I don't blame you for hating Anjelica. But you have helped raise Alex from the time he was a toddler. I thought you have accepted him as your own--
ADRIENNE: ...I have, Justin...I just...
JUSTIN: You just...what? You see Anjelica every time you look at him? You...resent his presence in our lives again? You question his motives in marrying Noelle Curtis because you're just, so certain that he's got something to hide?
ADRIENNE: A mother knows her son, Justin.

Justin explodes with anger at Adrienne's remark.

JUSTIN: You just reminded me he isn't your son, Adrienne! So how do you know he's hiding something? And how do you know that Will is so...eager to play the field that he's willing to risk what he has with Sonny to make a play for his brother. His brother who is married to a woman?

Justin and Adrienne jump back, looking towards the door as a voice calls out to them.

SONNY: Is that really what you feel, Mom?

Adrienne stands, shocked and at a loss for words as she's caught by her visibly upset son.

---
 

---

Rafe puts his hand on Hope's shoulder, as Hope stays fixated on the view through her office window.

RAFE: Hope, you can't fix everything, you know. 

Hope stays fixated on the street below, leaving Rafe unsure if she's even listening. He squeezes her shoulder gently, hoping to rouse some kind of reaction in Hope.

RAFE: Look, I know this case has thrown you for a loop. That's why I was pushing Grant so hard. But you gotta realize, we're only human.
HOPE: Yeah, but we also need to have some humanity. 

Hope sighs, turning around to face Rafe finally.

HOPE: You know, I just...seeing Jerome and...seeing Valerie again just reminded me why I became a cop in the first place. I didn't do it to hurt people, or...punish people. I did it to help protect people. To make my community a better place. 
RAFE: And you do that. Every day. I see that.

Rafe puts his arms around Hope, as she reciprocates, holding Rafe in a tight embrace.

HOPE: Well, I need to do more, Rafe. I need to figure out a way.

As Rafe and Hope separate from their hug, Hope walks over to her desk, grabbing her purse and jacket. As she puts it on, she sighs.

HOPE: I gotta...I gotta pick Ciara up. She's probably upset, I've been...really busy lately.
RAFE: You want me to give you guys a ride home? I gotta head that way anyway, pick up Sheryl at the Salem Inn.

Hope smiles a bit, nodding appreciatively.

HOPE: Yeah. I'm...not exactly in any shape to drive right now, am I?
RAFE: Come on, Partner!

Rafe puts his arm around Hope, walking with her out of her office, finally coaxing a lasting smile out of his sombre partner.

---

Jordan inhales deeply, taking in Jerome's scent as she tries to hide her discomfort, and her attraction to Jerome.

JORDAN: Don't patronize me, Jerome.

Jerome lifts his right hand up to gently carress Jordan's face, causing Jordan to flinch, and push Jerome away. Jerome doesn't fight back as Jordan walks away from her.

JORDAN: Dammit, Jerome! Don't you get it? It's over between you and me. And it has been for a very long time.
JEROME: You know...that's funny because...I didn't think we ever officially broke things off between us. You know, as far as I remember...you just up and left town without saying where you were going, what you were doing, or who with. Now, what I wanna know is...is that how you normally break things off with the men you get with, or am I just a special case?

Jordan turns around to face Jerome, eyes rolling, cutting him off as he finishes his question.

JORDAN: I didn't...I didn't think we had anything more to talk about. You didn't want to tie yourself down to me, and...then this whole...EnerNext thing came up. I mean...Kate's offer to come to Salem came up way sooner than Sheryl and I expected.
JEROME: And you couldn't take two minutes to pick up a phone and tell me what was happening. Say goodbye? Dear John letter? A text message--
JORDAN: ...I couldn't! Dammit, Jerome. It wasn't safe! The RCMP were onto us, and if I stopped to make that call, I'd be setting myself up.

Jerome looks down, shaking his head, knowing Jordan's making excuses. Jordan looks him dead on, as earnestly as she can.

JORDAN: Look, I know I left suddenly. And I'm sorry for that. But we were having too many problems to ignore. And it wasn't going to get any better if I stayed in Toronto.
JEROME: But you don't know that.

Jordan stops, sighing as she looks up to the ceiling. She throws her hands up in defeat.

JORDAN: No. No, I don't. But it's too late to go back now. We have a job to do. That's the only relationship we're going to have here in Salem. You put that virus in the Titan server, and it's done.

Jerome cocks his eyebrow, sensing a hint of hope.

JEROME: And after that?

Jordan rolls her eyes at Jerome's badgering, she looks away, folding her arms in discomfort.

JORDAN: After that, I don't know.
JEROME: Does that mean you'll be leaving Salem?

Jordan hesitates, looking down, away from Jerome's intense gaze.

JORDAN: I haven't decided yet.

Jerome leans toward where Jordan's looking, hoping to catch her gaze. Jordan looks away, and Jerome follows her eyes. Jordan sighs again, as it hits him just why she's hesitating.

JEROME: Oh God. It's that sumbitch cop you been screwing around with. Hah! You're in love with him, aren't you?

Jordan bites her lip, trying to avoid giving Jerome the answer he's searching for.

---

The elevator dings before the door opens to Sheryl's floor. As it opens, Sheryl is pressed up against a visibly-uncomfortable Lucas, who is trying to get into the mood for the sake of Kate's plan, but Sheryl notices his tension. They kiss, but Sheryl, feeling Lucas' tension, steps back.

SHERYL: Lucas! Come on, what's wrong?

Sheryl grabs Lucas' hand and guides him from the elevator toward her apartment door.

LUCAS: Ahh, it's nothing. I guess I'm just still tense from the office.

Sheryl wraps her arms around Lucas, smiling seductively at him. He feigns a smile in return, putting his arms around her.

SHERYL: Well, you know what I say to that.
LUCAS: Yes, I do.
SHERYL: Well, do you want to come in? Maybe I can...work out those knots in your shoulders, and maybe...help you relax?

Lucas inhales, trying to gather his strength to go through with what's surely about to happen.

LUCAS: I think that's a great idea.

Sheryl smiles back, as she turns to open the door to the apartment.

SHERYL: Good.

As Sheryl steps in, Lucas lingers behind, almost afraid to step inside. Sheryl laughs at Lucas' reticence, coaxing him inside.

SHERYL: (laughs) Come on, silly. You're acting like a school boy. Haven't you ever been to a girl's bedroom before.

Lucas furrows his brow, as though Sheryl's wounded his pride.

LUCAS: Hey! I resent that! I'll have you know I've been to...p...a few ladies' bedrooms in my time.

Sheryl giggles as she sits herself down on her bed. Kicking off her shoes, she bites her lip seductively as she looks up at Lucas, who stands nearby, hands in his pockets, looking Sheryl up and down.

SHERYL: Hmm...that's good to know then. Aren't you gonna come over here.
LUCAS: I uh...ahem, I dunno if I'm up to it.

Sheryl looks up at Lucas, getting up off the bed and walking over to him. He backs up slightly, as Sheryl forcefully grabs his belt buckle and undoes it. Lucas resists momentarily.

LUCAS: Sheryl...
SHERYL: Not. A. Word.

Sheryl leans in, nearly kissing Lucas, but instead whispers, half seductively, half threateningly, as she kisses his cheek, and slowly nibbles his earlobe.

SHERYL: You know....I never could understand...how a man....could still call himself a man...and not want to make love.

Lucas' resists the urge to leave, his masculinity called into question, but simultaneously hearing his mother's voice in his head, nagging him to stay:

KATE: If you intend on seeing this plan through, you're going to have to be an awful lot more convincing than what just went down.

Before he can respond, Sheryl pushes Lucas onto her bed, straddling him aggressively.

LUCAS: Wh...what are you doing, Sheryl?
SHERYL: Isn't it obvious?

Sheryl rips open Lucas' shirt, as she kisses him full on the mouth. Lucas looks disgusted, but doesn't resist, replaying his mother's words over and over in his head, and Sheryl's emasculating whispers spliced between his mother's voice.
you'll have to do better than that
what kind of man doesn't want to make love?
better than that

SHERYL: I want you, Lucas Horton. Make love to me.

Sheryl leans over aggressively to kiss Lucas again, her legs straddling his torso as she kisses down his neck, kissing further and further down his chest, as Lucas lays back, closing his eyes momentarily, trying to simply go along with Sheryl's desire as best he can, still hearing the threatening voices circle in his head.
what kind of man...
you'll have to do better than that
...doesn't want to make love
I never understood
you'll have to do better...

Lucas gasps in a combination of mental anguish and physical stimulation as Sheryl moves her way down his body. Tensing with an anxious uncertainty as Sheryl takes sexual control over him.

---

Maggie and Alex carry on talking to each other in the kitchen, as Noelle steps into the kitchen.

MAGGIE: Noelle!
NOELLE: Hi, Maggie! I just came to check in on my husband.

Noelle wraps her arms around Alex, who turns his head to kiss his wife on the cheek. Noelle smiles widely as she hugs him. Maggie looks on, smiling.

MAGGIE: I'm so glad you two are so happy. (sigh) We could use a lot more of that in this house lately.

Noelle looks on, sighing quietly, understanding Maggie's pain.

NOELLE: I'm sorry, Maggie. I...I know the last few months haven't been easy on you and Victor...but...I have a feeling things are going to change very soon.

Maggie smiles at Noelle, leaning against the island, feeling Noelle and Alex's concern and warmth.

MAGGIE: Thank you, both of you. I hope so, too!

---

Sonny and Will step into the garden, Sonny fuming at his parents' argument over his relationship. Adrienne stumbles over her words as she tries to respond to her son's question.

ADRIENNE: I...I...Sonny! Look, your father and I--
SONNY: ...Were just nosing their way into my personal business. Again.
ADRIENNE: Sonny...
SONNY: Can it, Mom!

Justin steps in to defend Adrienne, glaring at Sonny angrily.

JUSTIN: Sonny. Don't talk to your mother like that.

Will steps toward Sonny, touching Sonny's arm gently.

WILL: Sonny...look, I didn't mean to cause trouble, I--
SONNY: No. No, that's all my mother's job. My mother, who can't seem to separate mother from son. My mother, who seems to think that Alex Kiriakis and Anjelica Deveraux are the same person, just like Sami Brady and Will Horton.

Adrienne tries to calm Sonny down, trying to step toward her son, but Sonny shakes his head, backing away from her.

ADRIENNE: Sonny...
SONNY: No! No, not this time, Mom. I love Will. And I know that Will is in love with me just as much. Whatever problems we're having right now, we will work them out, because that is what marriage is about. I know that's hard for you two since you seem incapable of going half a decade without some kind of litigation against each other, but--
JUSTIN: Sonny! Enough! Now, you owe your mother, and myself, an apology.

Sonny laughs mockingly at Justin, incredulous that Justin would make such an assertion.

SONNY: Hah! Like Hell, I do! You know, this is exactly why I wanted Will away from Titan. I didn't want him to be involved in all this family drama, and melodramatics. And I definitely didn't want anyone in this family, especially my own parents, to spend so much energy trying to run our lives, and trying to manipulate, and and and speculate about our sex lives. I mean, what business is it of yours?

Adrienne and Justin look solemnly at each other, realizing only now the depth of Sonny's anger at his family's involvement in his life. They stand, stunned, not realizing that inside the house, from the doorway, stands a solemn Victor, holding a drink in his hand. He listens closely to the entire conversation.

Victor takes a sip from his drink, before breathing in heavily, an almost pained expression on his face as he contemplates his family's growing tensions.

---